	<div class="cited-quotation">
		<cite>1 Nephi 5:18 - 5:19</cite>
		<blockquote>
			<p>
				That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.
			</p>
			<p>
				Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time.
				And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.
			</p>
		</blockquote>
	</div>
	<p>
		The plates mentioned above are the brass plates stolen by Nephi from Laban after the former killed the latter.
		(Jehovah orders Nephi to kill Laban several times, and eventually he caves and does it, before stealing the plates Jehovah sent him to recover.)
		Supposedly though, these plates will never perish or be &quot;dimmed&quot;.
		I&apos;m guessing that dimming here is referring to the plates becoming corroded, though it might instead refer to them becoming soiled.
		Perhaps even both.
		In any case though, if these plates are to last forever, where are they now?
		Seriously.
		Perhaps they disappeared with the Plates of Nephi, which were supposedly taken to heaven specifically so no one could ever prove their existence?
		Also, see this passage on both the brass plates and the Plates of Nephi:
	</p>
	<div class="cited-quotation">
		<cite>Mosiah 1:3 - 1:6</cite>
		<blockquote>
			<p>
				And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, saying:
				My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God.
			</p>
			<p>
				For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time.
			</p>
			<p>
				I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.
			</p>
			<p>
				O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true.
				And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.
			</p>
		</blockquote>
	</div>
	<p>
		Here, we&apos;re told that someone that hasn&apos;t seem the plates won&apos;t know that their contents are true.
		So ... was it really a good idea to take the plates away to heaven where no one would see them and be made aware that the stories they held were true?
		Also, I question whether seeing the plates would assure any rational-minded person that what they said was to be believed.
		I mean, we&apos;ve found tonnes of ancient tablets containing mythologies from several religions, such as those produced by the ancient Greeks.
		But does anyone believe in Zeus, one god the plates tell us about?
		Not really.
		Seeing old plates with old writings tells us someone wrote the words long ago, but it doesn&apos;t tell us the words are true.
	</p>
